2009 Top Five: TransWorld Adventures

#5. Spain “Viva Espagne”

TransWorld enlisted Eiki Helgason, Laura Hadar, Zac Marben, and Remi Lamazouere for a winter road trip through Spain (yes, the whole country). The crew, with photographer Eric Bergeri at the wheel and writer Jennifer Sherwoski riding shotgun, traveled from Barcelona, to Spain’s biggest resort—Baquiera-Beret, to the bars of Madrid, up to the High Aragon of the Central Pyrennes, and back. The whole story was featured in the October 2009 issue.

“People sleep late and eat meals even later. As a testament to the local vibe, we never once arrived at the mountain before eleven a.m.”—Jennifer Sherowski

#4. Arlberg, Austria

We call this place shred fantasy world and we mean it. Ask a random sampling of pro snowboarders where their favorite resort to ride is, and don’t be suprised when they answer, “Arlberg.” TransWorld Senior Editor Joel Muzzey took one for the team and headed over to Arlberg—he broke down everything you need to know from how to get there, where to stay, which of the five resorts are best for what, and where to find the best apres. Don’t you need a European vacation right about now? The whole story was featured in the December 2009 issue.

“After a day on the slopes, the bars fill with thirsty, amped-up party people. Each little hamlet has its choice watering holes, where traditional oom-pa-pa music mixes with cheesy Euro club tunes and giant beer steins clack together in celebration of winter fun.”

#3. Morocco (sneak peak)

What, you don’t remember that epic feature on Morocco? That’s because it won’t be hitting your mailboxes for another two weeks in the February issue, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give you a sneak peak. Last winter the mountains of Morocco experienced the most snow in more than two decades, and we hit it perfect. We did it all from the souqs of Marrakesh to the summits of Oukaïmeden—blizzards, power outages, donkeys, and Djemaa el-Fna. Stay tuned!

#2. Lebanon

Rider Jarad Hadi has peeps in Lebanon and there’s snow. So writer and photographer Liam Gallagher joined in with Jarad, Nick Dirks, Louif Paradis, and Salomon Team Manager Java Fernandez. They had a near-death experience at the hands of Hezbollah, ate some good food, and made new friends. Travel—you have to take the good with the bad.

#1. Alaska

Hey, we’ve got a trip going, it involves glacier camping in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park for a month and splitboarding up peaks with Jeremy Jones, Travis Rice, Jonaven Moore, Johan Olofsson, and guide Tom Burt, and taking the hard way down. You want to go?! Photographer Dan Milner signed up for the mission and brought back what we think is the most epic adventure story and images of the year. The fourteen-page feature is in the January issue. It’s part of a two-year film called Deeper, produced by TGR. ”

“… I pull my boot liners from the bottom of my sleeping bag where they've been surviving the cold alongside camera batteries, and push them into stubborn, frozen boots, scrambling from my tent to face the first warming rays of sunrise and smiles all round.”—Dan Milner